BRIAN Horton has finally landed his man after completing the signing of experienced centre half Tony Barras from Notts County.

The Macc Town boss has been keen to bring the former Stockport County defender to Moss Rose since the end of last season, and admitted he even tried to sign him whilst at his last club Port Vale.

"Tony was exactly what I was looking for. He's experienced and strong, exactly what we needed at the back," Horton told Express Sport.

"He has been away on holiday which has held things up a little bit. Notts County wanted him to sign for another season and a couple of other clubs were interested, but he wanted to come to Macclesfield Town."

Bury and Rochdale were said to be interested in bringing the 33-year-old on board, but Horton was determined to get his man.

He said: "We've worked very hard to get him. I thought last season we didn't get enough from set pieces, but Tony brings that aerial threat with him. He's scored plenty of goals throughout his career and he'll give us that extra option."

Barras has netted over 40 goals during a 500-game career which spans 10 clubs in three divisions. He began his career at Hartlepool United where he made his League debut as a teenager in 1989. In 1990 he joined Stockport County and became a regular as he helped them to promotion from the old Fourth Division in his first season and to the play-offs in the old Third Division the next season.

After almost 130 games for County, 1994 saw a short loan move to Rotherham and then a free transfer to York City where he remained for five years, playing over 200 more games in the Second Divisions.

He scored a total of 15 goals during his time at York City, the most memorable of these surely coming in York's 3-0 League Cup win against Manchester United at Old Trafford in 1995.

A short loan spell with Reading towards the end of the 1998/1999 season led to a £20,000 move to the Madejski Stadium but he remained there only until the end of the season when he joined then First Division Walsall where he was almost an ever-present in their successful 99/00 play-off campaign.

He spent two more seasons with the Saddlers playing First Division football and popping up with vital goals, before a move to Notts County in the summer of last year.

He was an almost ever-present for the Magpies in the last season, missing just five League games and scoring four times before swapping Meadow Lane for the Moss Rose.